Aluminum Boats Delivers High-Speed
Crew/Utility Vessel To A&P Boats

The 115-foot Oriole, built by Aluminum
Boats, Inc. of Crown Point,
La. for A&P Boat Rentals of Cut
Off, La., gives new meaning to the
term "crew/utility vessel." the allaluminum,
triple-screw boat can not
only haul 63 people, 30 long tons of
cargo, and 12,000 gallons of rig
water; it can also fight off-ship fires
with a 700-gpm monitor mounted
aft. When not carrying rig water, she
can haul up to 80 tons of cargo on
her spacious aft deck.

The new vessel has a beam of 24
feet and depth of 9'/£ feet. She is
powered by three Detroit Diesel
12V71TI engines developing a total
of 1,530 bhp. They drive Federal 36-
inch propellers via Twin Disc MG-
514 reverse/reduction gears with a
ratio of 2.5:1. Two Delco 40-kw generators
driven by Detroit 3-71 diesels
provide electrical power for
ship's service and wheelhouse electronics.
Compressed air for starting the
main engines, the generator sets,
and the Morse engine control system
is provided by two Quincy 208
VAC units. A Demming pressure set
supplies the galley, heads, shower,
drinking fountain, and deck and engine
room taps. A Raritan masserator
sanitation system is installed for
pollution control.

The pilothouse is equipped with
two electro-hydraulic steering stations,
with one facing aft for backdown
on rigs. Stainless steel hydraulic
tubing is used throughout the
boat.

The off-ship fire-fighting system,
unusual for a crewboat, consists of a
keel-cooled Detroit Diesel 3-53 engine
driving a Hale 700-gpm pump
at 150 psi through an Elkhart 292
monitor. A feature of this system is
its portability; when not in use the
monitor can be stowed to avoid
damage while loading and unloading
cargo. It features an easy on/off
coupler to allow quick connect for
rapid response to any emergency.
Passenger and crew comfort is
aided by eight tons of customdesigned,
keel-cooled air conditioning.

The maintenance-free system,
designed by South Lafourche Air
Conditioning Service, utilizes Copelomatic
compressors and condensers
that are keel-cooled by 120
feet of aluminum piping.